Flexible tape rule



May 18, 1937.

H. M. GAssT oM FLEXIBLE TAPE RULE I Filed June 22, 19 55 M INVENTOR. #5?fl/V n2. 955730 BY A ATTORNEY. f

Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED sTATss PATENT OFFICE FLEXIBLE TAPE RULEHerman M. Gasstrom, Mount Vernon, N. Y.

Application June 22, 1935, Serial No. 27,864

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a flexible tape rule.

The object of the invention is the production of a flexible tape rule,which operates under the" complete control of the user.

The second object of the invention is the production-of a flexible taperule, having means to automatically stop the travel of the tape of therule when released. Y

The third object of the invention is the production of a flexible taperule, the travel of which is under the tension of a spring to wind upthe tape, with means to control the travel of the tape.

In the drawing Fig. 1 represents a partial top View of the flexible taperule and section as on the line of Fig; 2; Fig. 2 shows a section ofFig. 1 on the line 2"-2; Fig. 3 indicates a'section of Fig. 2 on theline 3 -3; Fig. 4 represents a partial elevation of the ruleand asection as on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is'a section of Fig. 4 onthe line 55; Fig. 6 represents an enlarged section of Fig. 2 on the line6-6; Fig. 7 shows an enlarged section of Fig. 1 on the line Figs. 8 and9 indicate elevations'of a detail; Fig. 10 indicates a plan view of adetail; Fig. 11 is a section of Fig. 10 on the line Fig. 12 is a sectionof Fig. 13 on the line' |2-'-'-|2, showing a modification; Fig. 13 showsa section of Fig. 12 on the line |3f-|3; Fig. 14 represents an elevationof modified details; and Fig. 15 represents a section of Fig. 4 on theline |5|5.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 11 inclusive and Fig. 15, the flexible tape rulecomprises the case 20, having upper and lower cup' shaped clampingmembers. The upper cup shaped clamping member of the case comprises thetop wall 2| having the depending cylindrical pocket 22 with the wall 23having the opening 24. The cylindrical wall of the top member of thecase is indicated at' 25 and is at practically right anglesto thesaid'top wall 2|. The lower end portion of the wall 25has integraltherewith the off-set clamping collar 26 having the bulged out lockingpocket 21. The lower cup shaped member of the case comprises the bottomwall 28 having the cylindrical shaped operating pocket 29 with the topwall 36 having the opening 3|. The cylindrical wall of the lower memberof the case 20 is shown at 32 having the locking projection 33, whichdetachably locks with the locking pocket 21. An opening 35 is indicatedat the junction of the members of the case 20. The upper portion of thewall 32 is detachably seatedin the collar 26.

A tubular post 4|] extends up from the wall 30 of the pocket 29. Thelower end of the post is spun to said wall 30. The upper end of the postM bears against the wall 23 of the pocket'22. The post 40 at its upperportion H- is somewhat enlarged in diameter and has formedtherein'a pairof longitudinal oppositely positioned guide openings 421 A screw 43is'inthreaded engagement with the upper endof the post 4'0, to main-' tainthe members of the case 20' in lockedpos'ition.

A drum 45 ispositioned within the case"20' and is jourhaled'on the'postlfl. The lowerend of the"! said drum'bears upon the wall 28. The drum 45comprises the cylindrical shell 46'- having the opening lfidandthe topwall 41 having-the open- 1 6 ing 41a. Extensions 48 are provided for theshell 46 and are formed from the top wall 41 leaving the openings 49.The top ends of the extensions are adjacent to and normally spaced fromthe top wall 2| of the upper member of the case 20, see 0 Fig. 2. a

The top wall 41 of the drum 45 has a plurality of ratchet projections53- extending therefrom,

and in the central portion of the wall 41'isform'ed thedepressed portion5| with the guidebarf52. '3-

Upon the top wall of the drum 45is'positioned the ratchet'plate 58,which is indicated with the central opening 59 and the pluralityofcircular locking openings 60, having their centers disposed in a circle'coaxial with the opening at 59. The locking openings BO'are disposed tolock with the ratchet projections'50. Depending'prm jections 6| extenddown from the plate 58' into the opening 59. The projections 6| extendinto and are guided in the guide openings'4'2 of the 35 The adjustingbar ll bears up against the lower 45 endsof the projections 6| of theratchet plate 58. The'user' of therule can push up the pin 10; andtherebylift the ratchet plate 58"to-clear its locking openings-601mm thelocking projec-' tions- 50,- and can then contact the extensions 48 withthe wall 2| to function as a brake.

A wire spring 15 with the pairof oppositely positioned curved uppermembers 13 and apair of oppositely positioned curved lower members 55TI, bears between the wall 41 of the drum 45 and the top wall 2| of theupper member 20 of the case, to maintain the drum in operative positionand functions as a brake when the flexible tape to be described returnsinto the case 20.

A flat spiral spring 18 is positioned within the drum 45 and has itsinner end 79 connected to the lower portion of the post 40, and itsouter end 80 is connected to the shell 46 of said drum 45. v

A flexible tape 82 having the usual divisions lines and numerals thereonor other suitable scales, has its inner end 83 connected to the shell 46of the drum 45 extending through the openings 46d and 41a, and its outerend leads through the opening of the case 20. A hook 84 is indicated atthe outer end of the tape 82. The said tape 82 when uncoiled and. out ofthe case 20 is concavo-convex in cross-section, as indicated at 85,Figs. 3 and 5, but when coiled in the drum 20 is flexible enough toassume a crosssection which is flat as shown in the drawings.

Referring to Figs. 12, 13, and 14, which comprises a modification of theflexible tape rule, the case for the rule is again indicated at 20. Thetop wall of the upper member of the case is again shown at 2|, with itspocket 22 having the wall 23. The cylindrical wall of the top member ofthe case is again shown at 25 with its offset clamping collar 28 havinga bulged out looking pocket, not shown, similar to 21. The bottom wallof the lower member of the case is again indicated at 28, with itsoperating pocket 29 having the top wall 39. The cylindrical wall of thelower member of the case is again indicated at 32,

which has a bulged out looking projection, not shown, similar to 33. Theopening for the case 20 is again indicated at 35. The post is againshown with the guide openings 42 and the screw 43. The drum of the ruleis indicated at 45a having the cylindrical shell 48a with the opening46?), having the extension 460 and the top wall 411). Extensions 48again extend from the drum 45a. The top wall 41b has integral therewithand pressed out from said top wall, the flexible brake arms '98 with thebrake shoes 9 I The latter bear against the inner face of the top wall2| of the upper member of the case 2|). The brake arms 98 with theirshoes 9| are substituted for the wire spring 15. The extensions 48 inthis modification may be omitted. Ratchet projections 50 again extendfrom the top wall 41b. The ratchet plate is indicated at 58a having theradial ratchet openings 58b. The projections of the ratchet plate areagain shown at 6|. The conical shaped spiral spring is again indicated65. The push pin is again shown at 10 with its adjusting bar H.

The flat spiral spring is indicated at 18a and hasits inner endconnected to the post 40, as already described. The spring 180. at itsouter end portion has indicated the similar pairs of recesses 95 and 96extending from its top and bottom edges. The recesses 95 are detachablylocked with the top and bottom edges of the opening 461) of the drum 45aand the recesses 95 are without said drum. The flexible tape 82in thismodification has indicated in its inner end the opening 98 with theextension 99. The outer end of the spring 18a is detachably locked tothe tape 82, by inserting said outer end through the opening 98 of thetape 82, and locking the spring 18a with said tape by means of therecesses 96. Referring to Figs. 1 to 11 inclusive and Fig. '15, theflexible tape rule when not in use is enclosed in its case 20, asindicated in the drawing.

When the tape 82 is to be used, the user pulls it out of its case 20 bygrasping the hook 84 and as soon as it projects out of the opening 35,it assumes its normal concavo convex shape 85 as indicated in Fig. 5.The tape 82 is pulled out against the tension of the spring 18 and whenbeing pulled out winds up the said spring 18. While the tape 82 is beingpulled out of the case 2i) the tension of the Wire spring 75 bearingbetween the wall 2| of the upper member of the case 2! and the top wall41 of the drum 45, is light enough to permit said drum 45 to rotatewhile the tape 82 is withdrawn. While the tape 82 is withdrawn from thecase 20 the ratchet plate 58 rides over the ratchet projections 50 inthe top wall 41 of the drum 45. The coaction of the said ratchetprojections 50'and the ratchet plate, hold the tape in place if for anyreason the operator releases it. When the tape 82 is sufficientlywithdrawn to measure the desired distance, the concavo-convex featurethereof maintains the tape stiff and straight, to be enabled to takemeasurements in vertical, horizontal or inclined positions. After thedesired measurements have been made with the tape 82, the use bears onthe push pin 10, which raises and disengages the ratchet plate 58 fromthe ratchet projections 50, and the tension of the flat spiral spring 18pulls the tape 82 into the case 20, overcoming the tension of the spring15. The latter functions as a brake to secure an easy entrance of thetape 82 into the case, and avoids injury to the tape and the user,should the tape be accidentally released.

When the user forces the push pin 10 a little further into the post 40,the adjusting bar bears against the depressed portion 5| of the drum 45,and. thereby the ends of the projections 48 of said drum bear againstthe inner face of the top wall 2| of the upper member of the case 20,and also function as a brake.

It will be noted that by reason of the function of the projections 48the wire spring '15 could be eliminated.

The operation of the tape indicated in Figs. 12 to 14 is essentially, asalready described for the other figures, with the exception that thespring 15 is eliminated, and the brake shoes 9| bear against the wall 2|of the top member of the case 20, and control the speed of the travel ofthe tape. The ratchet projections 59 function with the radial openings58b of the ratchet plate 58a.

Various modifications may be made in the invention and the presentexemplification is to be taken as illustrative and not limitativethereof.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a flexible tape rule the combination of a case, a drum journaledin the case, extensions extending from the drum having their top endsnormally spaced from the top wall of the case, a spring in the casehaving one end fixed therein and its other end connected to said drum, aflexible tape with a scale thereon having 'its inner end connected tosaid drum and its outer end extending through an opening in said case,said tape when withdrawn from the case being under the tension of thespring, intermittent interlocking means for the drum when it is turned,means to detach said interlocking means and the latter means alsofunctioning to force the extensions of the drums to the top wall of thecase to operate as a brake.

2. In a flexible tape rule the combination of a case, a drum journaledin the case, a post in the case, a cylindrical shell for the drum havingan opening with an extension journaled on said post,

a spring interposed between the post and the drum, the outer end of saidspring extending through the opening of said drum and having recessesdetachably locked with the opening in the drum, said portion of thespring on the outside of said drum having a second pairof recesses and aflexible tape having a scale thereon and an opening with an extension atits inner end, the outer end of said spring detachably locked with thetape by engaging the second pair of recesses at its outer end with theopening in said tape.

3. In a flexible tape rule, the combination of a case comprising anupper and a lower cup shaped clamping member, said upper membercomprising a cylindrical wall and a top wall, said lower membercomprising a cylindrical wall and a hottom wall, a drum journaled in thecase and comprising a cylindrical shell and a top wall, a wire springhaving a. pair of oppositely positioned. curved upper members and a pairof oppositely positioned curved lower members, bearing between the topwall of the drum and the top wall of the upper member of the case,aspring in the case having one end fixed and its other end connected tothe drum, a flexible tape with a scale thereon having its inner endconnected to said drum and its other end extending through an openingin. said case, intermittent interlocking means for the drum when it isturned and means to detach said interlocking means.

HERMAN M. GASSTROM.

